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Michael Collins

1890 - 1922 | Revolutionary Leader and TD

Michael Collins was born in Clonakilty, County Cork on the 16th October 1890. He was the youngest of eight children. As he grew up, Michael listened to stories of rebellion from his father and is reported to have said “when I leave school, the only pursuit I want to engage in is the winning of the freedom of my country”.

Described as a very bright child, Collins was educated at the local national school in Clonakilty and entered the Civil Service when he was 15 as a boy clerk.

In 1906 he moved to London to work in the Post Office Savings Bank in West Kensington and lived with his sister Hannie. He stayed there for nearly 10 years. While in London he studied accountancy, taxation, commercial law, economics, creative writing and voice training.

The Irish nationalist movement was gathering momentum in the early years of the 20th century, and this was not lost on the young Collins. Although based in mainland Britain he was involved in the Gaelic League, the Gaelic Athletic Association and became a member of Sinn Féin. In 1909 Collins joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood and worked as its treasurer in the London and South-Eastern area. Michael Collins returned to Ireland in January 1916 in time to join the Volunteers as they rebelled in Dublin during Easter Week. He acted as aide-de-camp to Joseph Plunkett during the failed Rising and fought alongside Pearse in Dublin’s General Post Office.

Following the surrender he was arrested and imprisoned in Frongoch Prison in North Wales. While held there he organised hurling and football matches for the prisoners. Frongoch became known as the “University of Revolution” and fellow inmates included Richard Mulcahy, Seán Hales and Gearóid O’Sullivan. Collins was released at Christmas 1916.